California not to apply for federal Data Disaggregation Initiative grant

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The California Department of Education has reportedly decided not to apply for a U.S. Department of Education Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Data Disaggregation Initiative grant.

The initiative in question aims to help state educational agencies and their local partners in obtaining and evaluating disaggregated data for K-12 AAPI English learners and AAPI sub-populations beyond the existing seven ethnic and racial categories.

AAPIs include 320 nations and ethnic groups and more than 100 language groups. Last month, two groups of Congressional leaders, including the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), had requested Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson to seek the federal grant.

But, California deputy superintendent Keric Ashley yesterday that the state Department of Education wasn’t applying for the federal grant because the state’s districts were already collecting that information.

Declaring the decision, Ashley said, “Districts already have this Asian subgroup data in their local student information systems and can analyze it now.”

The $1 million AAPI Data Disaggregation Initiative has been described as a new federal grant program and a fundamental step in identifying and fixing educational opportunity gaps to enhance the college-and career-readiness of underserved students and English learners.

California State Attorney General Kamala Harris’ Office has confirmed that subpoenas have been issued to oil refiners as part of its investigation into unusually high gasoline prices in the state during last year.